Alder leaf beetle vs small skipper

Agelastica alni compared with Thymelicus sylvestris

Key Differences

• Alder leaf beetle is Least Concern while small skipper is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alder leaf beetle	small skipper
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Chrysomelidae	Hesperiidae
Genus	Agelastica	Thymelicus
Species	Agelastica alni	Thymelicus sylvestris

Evolutionary Relationship

Alder leaf beetle and small skipper share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Alder leaf beetle

LC — Least Concern

small skipper

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alder leaf beetle	small skipper
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alder leaf beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

small skipper

Habitat

Inhabits Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Found across Europe (37 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Alder leaf beetle

The Alder leaf beetle (Agelastica alni) is a species in the genus Agelastica. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

small skipper

small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States